Fox News Finds Its Rivals Closing In
Karma's a bitch!
Karma's a bitch!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Money and Beauty Makes NYC Go 'Round
Oh, this is too precious. This is why NYC is so great -- it's totally, utterly shameless.
Fashion Meets Finance
These are events where single people who work in these respective industries can mingle and swap cell numbers and, presumably later on, precious bodily fluids. Put another way:
Fashion = Hot chicks who are underpaid and desperate for someone to buy them dinner
Finance = Nerdy guys who are overpaid and desperate to get girls who ignored them in high school
Fashion Meets Finance = Goldigger and Dork Nirvana.
Mazal tov!
PS. Many thanks to my friend who sent me this link who appropriately called it "Str8 I-Bankers Meet Carrie Bradshaw"
Fashion Meets Finance
These are events where single people who work in these respective industries can mingle and swap cell numbers and, presumably later on, precious bodily fluids. Put another way:
Fashion = Hot chicks who are underpaid and desperate for someone to buy them dinner
Finance = Nerdy guys who are overpaid and desperate to get girls who ignored them in high school
Fashion Meets Finance = Goldigger and Dork Nirvana.
Mazal tov!
PS. Many thanks to my friend who sent me this link who appropriately called it "Str8 I-Bankers Meet Carrie Bradshaw"
Thursday, June 26, 2008
The Waterfalls Hit NYC
They're here! Long in the making, and sure to top the 2005 Gates exhibit in Central Park, the Danish artist Olafur Eliasson's waterfall installation has been unveiled in our fair town.
What are these waterfalls exactly? Well, basically, they are four giant scaffolds in the East River and New York harbor that suck up and spin around water, then dump it back into "the drink" (as my dad would have called it). Two are located on the Brooklyn water front, one on Governors Island, the other off Pier 35 in Manhattan. In order to see them you have to go to one of the viewing areas or take the ferry boat tour. This link will take you to the New York Times review of this project and it has links to lots of viewing info as well.
I think this is so cool. Some cynics might argue that giant public exhibits like this and the Gates are a waste of time and money and contribute nothing to society. I strongly disagree. This is why, besides some of my problems with him, I fundamentally like Mayor Bloomberg: he understands that events like this create excitement, generate tourism (and tourist dollars), and help to give NYC it's special edge -- that of a daring, never conventional city.
Besides, they're just fun. Can't things ever just be fun for fun's sake? And better than that, they're free!
Long live the Waterfalls! Actually they only go until October 13 so don't dawdle, time flies.
Gotta Love New Yorkers
So last night yours truly and my beloved were on the subway heading home when we saw something you happily don't see every day: a man having an epileptic seizure.
It was around 9 PM. It was a lovely summer night. The train was merrily chugging along, the usual smorgasbord of diverse New Yorkers on board chatting with one another. Suddenly a quiet young man on one of the seats began to shake and convulse very violently. This was very clearly a seizure.
Without a moment's thought, without a shred of hesitation, the riders rushed to help him. They picked him up and, as the train pulled into the station, carried him out collectively and put him on the station floor. Cellphones were flashed out and people began calling out for the conductor. Someone offered a bottle of water (not that it would really have helped) and eventually one of the conductors assured us that everything was under control. We got back on the train and it headed off, everyone confident that this young man was being taken care of.
Popular culture likes to imagine New Yorkers as a bunch of rude, super-selfish money hogs but last night proved what a shallow stereotype that is. I saw the best of my fellow citizens and saw how we New Yorkers solve problems in a fast and efficient manner. I was never more proud to live here.
It was around 9 PM. It was a lovely summer night. The train was merrily chugging along, the usual smorgasbord of diverse New Yorkers on board chatting with one another. Suddenly a quiet young man on one of the seats began to shake and convulse very violently. This was very clearly a seizure.
Without a moment's thought, without a shred of hesitation, the riders rushed to help him. They picked him up and, as the train pulled into the station, carried him out collectively and put him on the station floor. Cellphones were flashed out and people began calling out for the conductor. Someone offered a bottle of water (not that it would really have helped) and eventually one of the conductors assured us that everything was under control. We got back on the train and it headed off, everyone confident that this young man was being taken care of.
Popular culture likes to imagine New Yorkers as a bunch of rude, super-selfish money hogs but last night proved what a shallow stereotype that is. I saw the best of my fellow citizens and saw how we New Yorkers solve problems in a fast and efficient manner. I was never more proud to live here.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
George Carlin RIP
One of the greatest and most fearless comedians ever, George Carlin managed to outrage people for more than forty years -- while also making them think. He blew apart American mores and social conventions with wild abandon, and he didn't care who he offended or delighted in the process.
Carlin will also go down in history as one of the most important comedians ever. He was the very first host of "Saturday Night Live" on October 11, 1975. His "Seven Dirty Word" routine, broadcast on NYC station WBAI in 1972, led to a US Supreme Court case establishing "family friendly" and "safe harbor" hours on TV. And while most comedians rise and fade with the times, he managed to stay relevant to the culture for decades. He will be sorely missed.
Best of all, George Carlin was a native New Yorker. He grew up in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan -- like yours truly -- walking the same streets and drinking the same water some 40 years before moi. If I was only one-fiftieth as talented as him, I would be a very happy man.
Here's a classic routine George Carlin did about religion. Needless to say, it's brilliant.
Carlin will also go down in history as one of the most important comedians ever. He was the very first host of "Saturday Night Live" on October 11, 1975. His "Seven Dirty Word" routine, broadcast on NYC station WBAI in 1972, led to a US Supreme Court case establishing "family friendly" and "safe harbor" hours on TV. And while most comedians rise and fade with the times, he managed to stay relevant to the culture for decades. He will be sorely missed.
Best of all, George Carlin was a native New Yorker. He grew up in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan -- like yours truly -- walking the same streets and drinking the same water some 40 years before moi. If I was only one-fiftieth as talented as him, I would be a very happy man.
Here's a classic routine George Carlin did about religion. Needless to say, it's brilliant.
Monday, June 23, 2008
A Double Whammy for the GOP
Man, these New York Republicans can't seem to get a break these days (Elliot Spitzer excepted).
Today came word that Francis Powers, the candidate Staten Island Republicans nominated to succeed the disgraced Congressman Vito Fossella, died in his sleep last night. He was 67. Obviously this must be a shock to his family so one wishes his family the best. Now the Staten Island GOP has to scramble for another candidate.
And this evening Joe Bruno, the State Senate Majority Leader and guru of the State Republican Party, suddenly dropped out of his re-election race. His wife died recently, his business activities are under Federal investigation, and he's closing in on 80 years old, so Bruno clearly has reasons to go. But obviously the State GOP has to find another candidate for his seat -- and another leader for the State Party.
Today came word that Francis Powers, the candidate Staten Island Republicans nominated to succeed the disgraced Congressman Vito Fossella, died in his sleep last night. He was 67. Obviously this must be a shock to his family so one wishes his family the best. Now the Staten Island GOP has to scramble for another candidate.
And this evening Joe Bruno, the State Senate Majority Leader and guru of the State Republican Party, suddenly dropped out of his re-election race. His wife died recently, his business activities are under Federal investigation, and he's closing in on 80 years old, so Bruno clearly has reasons to go. But obviously the State GOP has to find another candidate for his seat -- and another leader for the State Party.
At this rate New York State will probably be top to bottom Democratic next year.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
Before Seinfeld, before Friends, before Sex and the City, before all those shows in the 1990s and today about single people in NYC, there was this, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, the best of them all.
It was about a chronically underemployed woman in late 1980's New York who has a crazy family, flaky friends, and, eventually, a baby out of wedlock.
The great, GREAT Blair Brown played Molly Dodd, an absolutely believable, recognizable, and dimensional character. Throughout the course of the show you meet her crazy ex-husband, her impossible mother, her two very different boyfriends (a shlubby bookstore owner and a black police officer) and her unlikely best friend, the friendly old elevator operator in her building.
At first you might think this was a "chick" show but it really wasn't. It was a show about a woman and her problems yet, ironically enough, most of the other characters on the show were men and the problems she faced felt universal and understandable, even to a then teenage boy.
Molly Dodd was brilliantly written and beautifully acted. It first aired on NBC in 1987, then moved over to Lifetime until 1991. As a single camera dramedy about a single urban woman, it was way, way ahead of its time. Darren Starr, one of the producers of Sex and the City, said he owed a big debt to Molly Dodd's influence.
Here's the intro. It perfectly capture the feeling of last 1980s New York.
Socrates Sculpture Park Outdoor Cinema
You might remember that I recently blogged about the Bryant Park Film Festival, the Monday night outdoor film series sponsored by HBO. Well across the river, on Wednesday nights in July and August, the Museum of the Moving Image sponsors Outdoor Cinema, another outdoor film series held in the Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City.
These are (mostly) foreign films, some from the last couple of years, some of them classics (like 8 1/2 and The Red Balloon). The films start at sundown, and before the shows you can get food and listen to live musical performances that celebrate the culture of that night's film's native country.
This is a fun and wonderful celebration of the various cultures that make up this city and is free to all.
These are (mostly) foreign films, some from the last couple of years, some of them classics (like 8 1/2 and The Red Balloon). The films start at sundown, and before the shows you can get food and listen to live musical performances that celebrate the culture of that night's film's native country.
This is a fun and wonderful celebration of the various cultures that make up this city and is free to all.
Friday, June 20, 2008
L'Essence de NYC
Today's New York Times has several stories that sum up why it's both wonderful and exasperating to live in this town.
The city's Rent Guidelines Board voted to hike rents on rent stabilized apartments last night: Board Backs Rise in Rent Up to 8.5%. The board has 9 members and the vote broke down 5-4.
I heard Mayor Bloomberg on his WOR show this morning claim that this decision was some kind of "compromise." This is an utter lie. The board is appointed by the Mayor and they all vote the way he wants. This vote was engineered to look like they cushioned a much nastier blow but they really didn't, the decision was predetermined.
Oh, and it looks like the Bush economy is coming home to roost in New York: Layoffs Show on New York Unemployment Rolls.
And can you believe that some members of the MTA board are actually kvetching that the public is mad that they get free EZPasses? Backing Off Free Passes at M.T.A. Paterson and Cuomo are trying to end this outrageous practice and they're getting bushback from people who can easily afford their own damn EZPasses! Dizgrazia!
So the middle class gets screwed while the rich get helped. What else is new, right?
Well in NYC, that's never the whole story. For example, in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, one of the poorest parts of the city, a beautiful new library opened that will certainly brighten up the neighborhood: After a $2 Million Rehab, a Brooklyn Library Reopens.
And here's a lovely story about a beautiful tree being spared the chainsaw in Cobble Hill: A Sapling Grows Into a Giant; The Streets Around It Change, Too. A tree grows -- and continues to grow -- in Brooklyn.
And talking about Brooklyn, tonight in the gorgeous Prospect Park you can go to a live performance of the Metropolitan Opera tonight for free: Arias in the Park, Met Stars Included.
So while life is New York is tough (and gets tougher) it's always good to remember that there's always things in this city to appreciate and enjoy no matter what. That's the spirit of this town, l'essence de NYC.
The city's Rent Guidelines Board voted to hike rents on rent stabilized apartments last night: Board Backs Rise in Rent Up to 8.5%. The board has 9 members and the vote broke down 5-4.
I heard Mayor Bloomberg on his WOR show this morning claim that this decision was some kind of "compromise." This is an utter lie. The board is appointed by the Mayor and they all vote the way he wants. This vote was engineered to look like they cushioned a much nastier blow but they really didn't, the decision was predetermined.
Oh, and it looks like the Bush economy is coming home to roost in New York: Layoffs Show on New York Unemployment Rolls.
And can you believe that some members of the MTA board are actually kvetching that the public is mad that they get free EZPasses? Backing Off Free Passes at M.T.A. Paterson and Cuomo are trying to end this outrageous practice and they're getting bushback from people who can easily afford their own damn EZPasses! Dizgrazia!
So the middle class gets screwed while the rich get helped. What else is new, right?
Well in NYC, that's never the whole story. For example, in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, one of the poorest parts of the city, a beautiful new library opened that will certainly brighten up the neighborhood: After a $2 Million Rehab, a Brooklyn Library Reopens.
And here's a lovely story about a beautiful tree being spared the chainsaw in Cobble Hill: A Sapling Grows Into a Giant; The Streets Around It Change, Too. A tree grows -- and continues to grow -- in Brooklyn.
And talking about Brooklyn, tonight in the gorgeous Prospect Park you can go to a live performance of the Metropolitan Opera tonight for free: Arias in the Park, Met Stars Included.
So while life is New York is tough (and gets tougher) it's always good to remember that there's always things in this city to appreciate and enjoy no matter what. That's the spirit of this town, l'essence de NYC.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
REM @ Jones Beach: The Aftermath
That REM show at Jones Beach I went to on Saturday is getting lots of coverage in the Long Island Newsday. Apparently some people are complaining about how we were all kicked out of the theater when the drenching rain came down.
Jones Beach Theater storm policy leaves patrons all wet
Babies. Most of the audience dealt with it just fine. I saw this news story and noticed some inaccuracies. To whit:
"The theater at Jones Beach was evacuated for nearly two hours Saturday night during the R.E.M., Modest Mouse and The National concert."
WRONG!
It was actually less than an hour. Believe me, we wouldn't have waited around for two hours and neither would have most of the audience.
"Modest Mouse stopped playing and concertgoers were told to evacuate around 8:35 p.m., said George Gorman, a spokesman for the state parks agency."
WRONG!
It was at 9 PM!
This is why people hate the media -- they just get it WRONG so often. That said, this reviewer liked the show, so it wasn't an entire washout (pun very much intended).
Jones Beach Theater storm policy leaves patrons all wet
Babies. Most of the audience dealt with it just fine. I saw this news story and noticed some inaccuracies. To whit:
"The theater at Jones Beach was evacuated for nearly two hours Saturday night during the R.E.M., Modest Mouse and The National concert."
WRONG!
It was actually less than an hour. Believe me, we wouldn't have waited around for two hours and neither would have most of the audience.
"Modest Mouse stopped playing and concertgoers were told to evacuate around 8:35 p.m., said George Gorman, a spokesman for the state parks agency."
WRONG!
It was at 9 PM!
This is why people hate the media -- they just get it WRONG so often. That said, this reviewer liked the show, so it wasn't an entire washout (pun very much intended).
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